Mind Over Money

I love Chick-Fil-A sandwiches. I think it’s the pickle. That tangy, sour taste combined with a juicy piece of chicken satisfies my hunger pangs every time. My daughter is a devotee, as well. When traveling home from Yankee territory, she gets her fix at the Atlanta airport. If only Mr. Cathy had stuck with chicken [...]

Gov. Bryant signed the new “quickie” marriage law. As of July 1, you no longer have to wait 72 hours to go running down the aisle. In fact, there’s no waiting period at all. Pay your $21, sign your name and dash off to the justice of the peace. Wham, bam! You’re hitched. I can [...]

I never turn down a free meal. It’s there. It’s free. Why would you? Of course, it starts to show after a while. Those free meals can add extra pounds that extract their own price at some point down the road. The Supreme Court has ruled on the Affordable Care Act, and governors around the [...]

The retail report for May put a damper on economic hopes. For two consecutive months, retail sales fell. With about two-thirds of our economy dependent on consumer spending, this could be an ominous sign. With every bit of economic news released, there is a corresponding headline. It’s either screaming good news, or it’s screaming bad [...]

A  few weeks ago, we headed to Canton to sit in on a taping of Thacker Mountain Radio. It was a great evening on the square as people of all ages congregated for a night of music and community. The event coincided with the celebration of Armed Services Day. Representatives from each of the armed [...]

Gas prices are falling. Thank goodness! Something happens to my psyche when the number at the pump goes over $50, and I have a fuel efficient car and a short commute. Nationally, we only spend about 6 percent of our income on all energy. That includes transportation costs. In Mississippi, the number is a bit [...]

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, feels really bad about the mistake that occurred on his watch. He felt so bad that he fired a couple people, and he actually apologized to shareholders. I’m sure that an apology from Dimon is like finding a real diamond in the garbage heap — rare, real rare. Dimon [...]

Tunica is a strange place. I can hardly wrap my brain around this little spot on the map. A few weeks ago, I traveled there to speak at a conference. We ended up taking the long route through Senatobia, winding on a country highway and passing farms and pastureland along the way — a scenic [...]

Well, the legislators have packed up and gone home. As I survey the wasteland of passed and failed bills, I wonder if these folks have a clue about the dire straits many Mississippi families find themselves still in. While they were arguing about immigration and charter schools and abortion, while they were poring over redistricting [...]

John Edwards is a worm. That may be overstating his humanity. The one-time rising star in the Democratic Party has turned out to be another empty, narcissistic pretty boy, with the morals of an alley cat. Combine money, power, and a dose of boyish charm, and you’re bound to end up with a sex scandal. [...]